Suggested Size Restrictions - best practices

[michigan]

I've read on Novell's site that 200MB is a good average size restriction for ea/GroupWise user - However, I wanted to get suggestions/recommendations from the pros in the field. What size you recommend? What do you typically setup for new clients?

I was considering a 750MB limit for each user.

My biggest size user right now is about 425MB.

Thank you.

 

[Cleo02]

We are using 100-200MB limit for our users. If they are also using Archive then it seems to work well.

The problem with really large accounts (in my experience anyway) is as follows:

1. Total space taken up on the server for the Post Office;
2. Difficult to restore accounts in case of problems;
3. Difficult to transfer account from one post office to another;
4. System being used for file storage rather than collaboration;
5. Redundency (several users having the same file attachment saved on the system);
6. Folder exceeding 100 items will display more slowly than those containing fewer items

Training is key in managing GroupWise accounts.
1. Archiving to local hard drive with regular backups to cd or dvd;
2. Using shared folders for common file updates/edits;
3. Periodic cleanup of the post offices;

I am pasting Novell's suggestions for GroupWise best practices:

GroupWise Client Best Practices
Here are some tips and “best practices” recommended by Novell for the GroupWise Client application. By following these recommendations, the GroupWise Client should function more efficiently and improve overall response time for the end user.

Folders:
Every item that is found on the left-hand side of the GroupWise Application is a folder. Some of these are default folders created by the GroupWise Application, including: Calendar, Trash, Cabinet, Sent Items, Work in Progress and Documents. The GroupWise account can be customized by the end user through the creation of new folders. Folders are recommended for sorting and storing items in ways meaningful to the user.

Folders within the GroupWise account that contain over 100 items will display more slowly than those containing fewer items. Encourage users to archive their mail regularly in order to keep their mailboxes manageable.
NOTE: All folders within the GroupWise account must have unique names. Creating a folder with the same name as a default GroupWise folder such as Calendar will cause problems for the user and potentially result in loss of items.

The Mailbox:
To provide faster access to the most recent items within the GroupWise mailbox, view the mailbox items in date-descending order. The newest items will appear at the top of the mailbox window so it is not necessary for the user to scroll through old messages in order to view those most recently received. When the GroupWise Client Application requests information from the server the newest information is brought over first and displayed at the top of the window. As the Mailbox window receives "older" items they are displayed on the screen until the screen is full. Any items that do not fit into the Mailbox window are stored in memory and will only display when scrolling downward within the mailbox window.
NOTE: If the display is set up in date-ascending order older information will be requested first, which causes the screen to re-draw as each item is received into the client application. This can have significant impact on performance.

To configure the mailbox to display in date-descending order, highlight the mailbox, right-click the gray column header entitled “Date” at the right side of the application and select “Sort Descending”.

Sent Items:
Do not delete items from the Sent Items folder for “cleanup” purposes. Only delete items from the Sent Items folder when absolutely necessary (i.e. retracting appointments, mail tasks, etc.).

Do not move Sent items into other folders for display or sharing purposes. This often causes confusion and potential duplication of items that were shared or moved.

Attachments:
Attach documents to messages only when absolutely necessary. It is more efficient to copy the information from the application and paste it directly into the email message. Copy the desired information and open a new mail message window. Choose Paste Special from the Edit menu, and then select “formatted text”. The text will appear in the email message with similar formatting as in the original document. The recipient won't have to launch another application in order to view the information which saves time and system resources. Message transmission time is reduced, application response time is increased and the message file size is reduced.

GroupWise should not be used as a filing system, particularly for attachments. Often attachments are already available on the server and can be easily retrieved. Inform the recipient of the file location rather than sending it as an attachment. The recipient can then view the file from the server or copy it to a convenient location if desired.

If working on a project requiring modification of files by many users create shared folders rather than having several versions of the same files stored in a variety of places.

If information to be sent is available from a web site (internet or intranet) send the web URL to the recipient rather than pasting the page contents or sending a file attachment.

 

[michigan]

Thank you Cleao. Good reference.